It's the other way around. Loss of electrons is oxidation. Addition of electrons is reduction. To help remember that, think of a metal, such as sodium, or anything that you find easy to remember is oxidized.
[LATEX]Na^{0} --> Na^{+1} + e^{-}[/LATEX]
So, as sodium "gives" its electrons, it is oxidized, but it is considered the reducer in the reaction because it is providing electrons to reduce something else.
If you still remember learning valence bond theory in high school, "reduced" means the valence is reduced, i.e., made more negative by addition of electrons.
John